News At-A-Glance
Brighton, Colorado
City News
Article by Cathie Johnson & Susan Stanton
BRIGHTON, CO -- Those tracking the leading edge of national population growth and diverse demographics soon will be focusing more on Brighton, CO, the county seat of Adams County. The> county, roughly the size of the state of Rhode Island, surrounds Denver International Airport, DIA.
Brighton, located about 20 miles northeast of downtown Denver and even closer to DIA, just placed second in the Gadberry Group’s “7 from 2007,” which lists the seven most notable highgrowth places in the U.S.
Gadberry Group, based in Little Rock, AR, provides location intelligence services and data for some of the world’s top retail brands.
“DIA and E-470 have made Brighton enormously connected,” says Brighton Mayor Jan Pawlowski. “Our vision of a thriving sustainable community built on transportation access, excellent schools, reasonable housing costs, open space and quality of life is coming into focus.”
“Brigthon, CO, is a place well positioned for the 21st Century,” says Susan Stanton, president/CEO, Brighton Economic Development Corp., which helps the city promote its benefits to prospective primary employers and retailers.
According to the report, in 2007 Brighton had 28 emerging Census blocks (Census blocks with less than 10 households in 2000 that now have more than 100) -- more than any other city on the list.
The population of Brighton, according to the report, has grown dramatically since the last U.S. Census was taken in 2000. Most researchers, according to Gadberry Group, rely on Census data for understanding the distribution and demographic makeup of the U.S. population. However, since the 2000 U.S. Census, households in Brighton have grown an astounding 122 percent, from 9,755 to 21,608. Household growth topped 13 percent from 2006 to 2007.
Since 2000, the average household income in Brighton has jumped more than 17 percent, topping $65,750 last year, up from about $55,900 in 2000, according to the report. The highest number of Brighton households are in the $80,000-$89,999 range, according to Gadberry Group.
Here are a few recent community development highlights provided by the Brighton Economic Development Corp:
• Newly opened stores at THF Realty’s 2,000- acre Prairie Center -- Home Depot, Lowe’s, PetSmart, Super Target, Kohl’s and many others – are evidence that the city already is on the radar for retailers looking at regional growth prospects in metro Denver.
• On the primary employment front, Brighton, in 2007, became home to a new 300,000 square-foot Staples fulfillment center. The city was selected for its proximity to five major highways (E-470, Read More....Continued